Toilet training

Because dogs are pack animals it is important to let your puppy come into your house every day to spend quality time with the family. If you are only going to let him in a short period at a time then you can easily prevent him from going to the toilet inside by watching him and taking him out if he needs to go. If he's going to be allowed in permanently then you are going to have to take him out regularly to the toilet (the younger he is the more often he will need to go) and know the most likely times that he will need to go (usually after waking up, eating, drinking, and long periods of play).

Here is the toilet routine:

You pick the puppy up as soon as he needs to go to the toilet (he will start circling to find a place) and take him to the place outside where we want him to do it. Once there you must put him down and start walking in a small circle, looking at the ground and say,'Toilet! Toilet!'. He will start circling and then go to the toilet. As soon as he does, you must praise him "Good boy!" and when he is finished you must stroke him and continue to praise him and then walk with him back into the house.

The reason why we pick the puppy up in the first place is to prevent him from going to the toilet before we reach our destination. We walk in a circle because if you stand still the puppy will sit and watch you to see what you are going to do next, and if you walk in a straight line he will not stop to go to the toilet because he will think that you are on your way somewhere and that there's not time to stop! Stroke him only when he has finished to avoid distracting him.. Taking him straight back into the house shows him that he is not being exiled from the house when he goes to the toilet outside.

By now we have a puppy we are proud of, that does not mess in the house and the next up date would more about fun as we teach our friend to FETCH .

Speak to you next time!

First few days with your puppy

There are a couple of principles that we use when teaching a puppy anything. Here they are:-

1. We teach everything by conditioning a puppy to act in a certain way. We show him to do something and then reward him when he does it.


2. We use a puppy's name before every command except "stay!" and "toilet". It makes him excited and alert and ready to jump into action to do whatever it is that we want him to do!


3. We repeat a game several times to form a pattern for the puppy to learn from.


4. We reward the puppy the second he does the right thing.


5. We use the same command for the same exercise every time. We also try to use the same tone of voice and body gestures that go with that command.


6. We NEVER punish a puppy when teaching him something. The puppy only gets a reward when it does the right thing and we make sure that it does the right thing!


7. We use a high-pitched voice when talking to a puppy (rather like humans use 'cootshy-coo' language on their babies!). This tone excites them so that they're keener to work. This goes for adult dogs too!! Barking out commands to them army-fashion has the opposite effect.

Next time we will be looking at toilet training for the new member of the family. Come with me as we watch our puppy grow and develop to protect and give us unconditional love.

Bye for now: Maqhawe the Mamba

Taking your puppy home

The change in environment will be stressful for the new family member. A few points to remember:

• Keep the pup on the same diet for the first ten days.



• Obtain the worming history from the breeder and establish when it should next be de-wormed.



• Make a point of obtaining a vaccination card and make a note when the next vaccinations are due.



• Keep the puppy in one room taking care to the door closed. Ignore the noise (1st training)



• Ensure a warm, comfortable bed with a hot water bottle and an alarm clock in the clothing. The dog will find the ticking clock comforting.



• Newspaper on the floor to soak up accidents.



• Supervise the introduction of other animals to the pup.



• Puppies need to relieve themselves frequently and very often after exercise, eating, or sleeping. Encourage the pup to relieve itself on paper. Never punish it for soiling on the floor and don't put its not in the mess - some owners mistakenly believe this to be the right thing to do.



• The first few nights will be nosey, as it will be missing mum and litter mates - ignore.



• Always bring the puppy home on fridays when you have an off day on Saturday and Sunday to spend with the pup in order for it to adjust.

Selecting a puppy

The easiest way to select the right pup is to ask the breeder to choose one that is not shy, overly dominant or stubborn. However, if the breeder prefers you do the picking, try to take an experienced person with you to view the pups.
If all fails, th following tips should help.

• Watching a group of pups at play will help you choose th one you want. So, if you do not get the opportunity to view several pups, try to arrange to the whole litter together. Then you will be able to see temperament differences in action. If, for example, you wish to avoid owning a pack-leader type, you can look out for the classroom-bully-type pup that dominates and picks on the other pups. Once you have distinguished this type of pup, you will know that it will not be going home you!
• Likewise, avoid the pup that runs and hides when the bully appears. A pup that barks at you or the other pups should also be avoided at all costs. You do not want a pup that is overly vocal: if one of the litter is barking at this early stage, it is going to be a nuisance barker. Good watchdogs do not usually start barking until they are between seven and 12 months.

Now you have decided on the breed type, CONGRATULATIONS.

The ideal age to acquire your new puppy once you have made the decision about your breed type is between 6 to 8 weeks of age. At this age the puppy will be newly weaned from its mother and dependent on its new owner. This is the ideal time to establish a strong bond between owner and pup.

Also insist tht the pup be purchased conditional upon your veterinarian examining it and giving it a clean bill of health.

Choosing the right dog for your family

This is the most important part of the puzzle that needs to be sorted before you decide to start seaching for a puppy. You need to consider the following;

• What type of dog do you want to raise, always buy from a reputable dog breeders to avoid more expenses. Discourage backyard breeders.
  
• Consider the fact that a puppy will one day become a dog. Do not buy because, "oh it looks so beautiful and innocent". All puppies are beautiful and innocent.
  
• Where do you stay, town house, house or plot.
  
• The needs of that particular dog breed, some can live in with minimal activity but your hounds need plenty of exercise.
  
• Consider grooming as some breeds need it more than others.
  
• Important point to consider; the ages of the youngest child in your house, it is at times recommended to get a puppy that is very young when you have a toddler in the house, but make sure that you protect it against the child as it is not one of the toys he has. After several pullings it will of course defend itself. Monitor all playing activities between puppy and child to minimize the risk of injury on both.
  
• Decide where it will sleep, veterinary needs, training and socialising.

For more information on choosing the right dog breed, send me all the questions and I am more that willing to assist.

The next topic we will be the different dog breeds and and their behaviour, this will also go a long way into helping you make an informed decesion when doing your purchase or visiting the shelter to get a dog that needs a home.

HAPPY DOGGING